Dec. 17, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes
ATHENS, Ohio - Thia Gholson recorded the first double-double of her career with career highs of 12 points and 14 rebounds to lead three Ohio players in double figures, but it was UNC Wilmington that snuck away with a 58-51 win Thursday night in the Convo.
As has been their trademark to this point in the season, the `Cats' (3-7) defense held the Seahawks to just 35 percent shooting and gave up just 58 points, the eighth time in 10 games Ohio has held the opposition under 60 points. It was at the free throw line where the Green and White were bitten as it hit just 3-of-12 from the charity stripe. The Bobcats also faced unkind rims on the night as they managed just 31 percent shooting from the field.
Ohio won the battle on the boards, pulling down 47 caroms, its second-highest total of the season, and got 27 points off the bench while outscoring UNCW's reserves 27-9.
Gholson's (Louisville, Ky.) 12 points (6-of-12 shooting) tied for team-high honors, as the junior also blocked a career-high two shots. Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) notched 12 points in addition to five rebounds a a game-high three steals to equal Gholson for team-high scoring honors. Carolyn Barnett (North Chicago, Ill.) recorded 11 off the bench, marking her second-straight game in double figures, while Danielle Woodmore (Louisville, Ky.) also turned in a nice outing in reserve, tying career bests with four rebounds and four assists. Da'Keisha Mann (Columbus, Ohio) and Ashley Fowler (Cincinnati, Ohio) each picked up six rebounds, a career high for Fowler.
The action was tight in the early going as neither side would give an inch. A Poff triple with 12:26 left in the first half tied the score at 11. Ohio led 17-15 before the Seahawks ripped off a quick 5-0 run to go ahead 20-17. Poff hit another try to tie the score at 20, before UNC converted with just over a minute left in the first half to go ahead. The Seahawks led 22-21 at the break.
Poff was hot from behind the arc in the first half, knocking down 3-of-3 from distance, but the `Cats managed to shoot just 26.7 percent from the field.
Ohio came out of the lockerroom firing and opened the second half on a 7-2 run to lead 28-24 with 17:30 left. UNCW battled back to tie it, and the action was back and forth for the next four minutes of play. The Seahawks took advantage of an 8-0 run to take a 40-32 lead with 8:59 remaining. Woodmore and Gholson sparked a big 9-0 Ohio run to put the `Cats back up by one with 6:51 left.
UNCW took advantage of Ohio's ill fortunes from the line to put together another run of its own to take pull ahead 53-44 with 2:07 left. The `Cats kept battling back, but the Seahawks knocked down their free throws over the final two minutes to sneak out of Athens with the win.
Brittany Blackwell and Greta Luksyte each scored 15 points to lead the Seahawks, with Blackwell also pulling down 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.
Ohio will have a quick turnaround as it returns to the court Saturday afternoon when it takes on Clemson of the ACC. The `Cats will be looking for some retribution after the Tigers came from behind to sneak out a close win over Ohio in Littlejohn Coliseum last season. Tip-off is set for noon.
